From the first ever iPhone, unveiled by Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, to the very latest iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, presented in September 2016, here's a look back at some of the main changes brought to Apple's star smartphone, which counts more than one billion handset sales worldwide.
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of every iPhone ever made, but a rundown of the most significant developments in the brand's history.
iPhone 2G (2007)
The first ever iPhone, also known as the "iPhone 2G," broke new ground with its 3.5-inch fully touch-sensitive screen, onboard camera, multimedia player, "iPhone OS" operating system, and Edge and WiFi support for connecting to the internet as well as making calls and sending text messages. It revolutionized the mobile phone market and was crowned "Innovation of the Year" by Time magazine.
iPhone 3G (2008)
The following year, an eagerly awaited 3G version of the iPhone arrived, offering users a faster mobile internet connection for surfing the web or downloading apps when out and about. This model was also the first to get a built-in GPS.
iPhone 3GS (2009)
Apple launched the first of its "S," or "Speed" versions of its phones in 2009, with the introduction of the iPhone 3GS. The 3GS included a more powerful camera, a faster processor, twice the RAM speed and faster network connectivity.
iPhone 4 (2010)
Rocking a brand new design, the iPhone 4 was the first model to get Apple's Retina display (with a resolution of more than 300 pixels per inch) and a second front-facing camera for FaceTime. It also got a gyroscope, a particularly effective addition for mobile gaming. Note too that the iPhone 4 marked Apple's switch to the micro-SIM format.
iPhone 4s (2011)
The main new features in this important update to the iPhone 4 were the virtual intelligent assistant, called Siri, and a new 8-Megapixel photo and video camera compatible with HD (1080p) video. In terms of sales, it proved a considerable hit with consumers.
iPhone 5 (2012)
This 2012 iPhone shook things up again, landing with a new 4-inch format and gaining support for LTE (4G) networks. It also brought the addition of the brand new Lightning connector and saw Apple switch to the nano-SIM format. Plus, the iPhone 5 was the first model to ship with Apple's EarPods headphones.
iPhone 5c (2013)
Presented as an entry-level handset, the iPhone 5c was, in fact, an iPhone 5 with a more rounded design and a new brightly colored plastic casing (five colors available). On the inside, it came with the same specs as its predecessor.
iPhone 5s (2013)
Released alongside the iPhone 5c, the iPhone 5s saw the arrival of Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the device's "Home" button for unlocking the phone and making payments with no need to enter passcodes.
iPhone 6 Plus (2014)
The iPhone grew once again with the appearance of the iPhone 6 Plus and its record-breaking 5.5-inch design. This new model also came loaded with NFC, notably for use with the Apple Pay function. The iPhone 6 Plus got a Retina HD (1080p) display and an optical image stabilization system.
iPhone SE (2016)
This nifty "low-cost" iPhone (which nevertheless starts at $399) was designed as a replacement for the iPhone 5s with several features from the iPhone 6s and takes the form of a 4-inch smartphone.
iPhone 7 (2016)
Apple caused a sensation in September 2016 with the iPhone 7, ditching the traditional headphones mini-jack in favor of a single Lightning connector used for charging the phone and for connecting compatible headphones. The iPhone 7 comes with memory up to 256GB and is splash- water- and dust-resistant -- a first for Apple.
